The Air Transport Association (ATA) filed a legal challenge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, responding to the National Mediation Board (NMB) issuance of a voting rule change for union representation. The ATA said the NMB’s decision was “ disappointing and puzzling” overturning 75 years of history “without compelling justification.”
“Today, ATA filed a lawsuit seeking speedy review of the National Mediation Board final rule, which dramatically changes the procedures by which airline and rail industry union representation elections are conducted,” the ATA said in a statement. “This new rule turns 75 years of history on its head without compelling justification. “ATA believes that the National Mediation Board failed to identify any material change in circumstances to support the new election procedure – a procedure that it last rejected only two years ago.
“The NMB decision to abandon an election procedure that the Supreme Court twice has upheld, which has allowed unions to effectively organize the rail and aviation industries, and which has served the public interest in avoiding disruptions to the vital national aviation and rail transportation systems, is both disappointing and puzzling,” the statement continued. “ATA looks forward to a quick resolution to this case, so that airlines and their employees can move forward together and more efficiently address their mutual goals.”
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